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NEWS BRIEFS Solar energy is following the same path to commercialization as other traditional energy sources spurred by federal incentives, according to a study from the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The study, funded by a grant from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), also estimates that the U.S. solar sector could employ hundreds of thousands of Americans by the end of the decade. www.bakercenter.utk.edu/news According to the latest "Energy Infrastructure Update" report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Office of Energy Projects, renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, solar, water, wind) accounted for 49.10% of all new domestic electrical generating capacity installed in the twelve months of 2012 for a total of 12,956 MW. Wind led the way, followed by solar, biomass, and geothermal (for comparison: in 2011, renewables accounted for 39.33% of new generation capacity). Renewable sources now account for 15.40% of total installed U.S. generating capacity: water - 8.47%, wind - 4.97%, biomass - 1.30%, solar - 0.34%, and geothermal - 0.32%. This is more than nuclear (9.24%) and oil (3.57%) combined. "If there were still any lingering doubts about the ability of renewable energy technologies to come on-line quickly and in amounts sufficient to displace fossil fuels and nuclear power, the 2012 numbers have put those doubts to rest," said Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign. Latest update: 1,231 MW of new in-service electrical generating capacity came on line in the United States in January 2013 - all from wind, solar, and biomass sources! www.ferc.gov/legal/staff-reports/dec-2012-energy-infrastructure.pdf Community-shared solar makes it easy for individuals and organizations unable to take advantage of on-site renewable energy generation to benefit from distributed generation. From California to New York, community-shared solar programs are making a strong showing, especially among utilities. And consumers are the beneficiaries, from renters and individuals who live in multi-tenant buildings, to those who don't have adequate or appropriate roof space, and individuals who simply don't want solar panels on their roof. According to research by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), about half of community-shared solar programs are run by electric cooperatives, with the other half split between investor-owned and municipal utilities. In response to this trend, IREC releases Community Shared Solar: Diverse Approaches for a Common Goal, three case studies that offer a glimpse at how three different utilities provide their energy consumers the opportunity to go solar. www.irecusa.org/irec-programs/connecting-to-the-grid

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Lake County is a Solar Hotbed!     Claire Carlson of Solar Oregon, wrenching on the solar trailer. Solar Oregon and Lake County Resources Initiative Cooperate to Build a Solar Demo Trailer by Katie Kargol Renewable Energy Coordinator Lake County Resources Initiative   Solar Oregon received a grant through the Oregon Department of Energy, and the requirements included constructing a project that informs and educates the people of Lake County on conservation and renewable energy.   Solar Oregon appointed Emily Krafft to handle the project. A renewable energy steering committee was formed in August and includes members from all over in Lake County. The Steering Committee decided on building a renewable energy demonstration trailer that would provide free hands on workshops covering energy efficiency and renewable energy systems.   The systems included are: a 900 Watt Solar PV system installed on the 7X16 foot trailer, solar hot water, radiant floor heating, solar stock watering system, small wind, ground source heat pumps, and geothermal. The two presentations include: 1. Solar Electricity for your home or Ranch and 2. Heating with Renewable Energy. Former OIT professor Bob Rogers will be conducting the workshops.   Volunteers working on the PV installation included Claire Carlson, Emily Krafft, Cliff Schrock, Mike Hewitt, Ryan Hendrix and members of the Lake County Renewable Energy Steering Committee.

Lake County 4-H Solar Project   A second project is the 4-H Solar PV project in Lakeview. Obsidian Renewables developed the 363 KW Lakeview Solar PV installation through Pacific Power's Oregon Solar Incentive Program in 2012. Obsidian has partnered with Lake County 4-H, Lake County School District, and Lake County Resources Initiative to donate land adjacent to the Lakeview Solar Project for a facility housing animals under Lakeview's 4-H program.   The electrical needs of the 4-H project will be met by a 10 KW fixed solar array. Kids will have the ability to learn about Solar Energy along with raising their animals. Construction started this spring. Contacts: Lake County Resources Initiative: www.lcri.org You can read Claire's account of the solar demo trailer's construction at http://solaroregon.org/ news/renewable-energy-trailer-comes-to-life Constellation Completes 5.7-Megawatt Solar Generation Project for PGE   Constellation announced in January they had completed the 5.7-megawatt Outback solar generation project for Portland General Electric (PGE) in Lake County, Oregon.   The plant occupies 40 acres of a decommissioned former radar base 9 miles east of Christmas Valley. The sunny location and existing high-capacity transmission lines originally installed for the radar transmitter have made the site an attractive option for renewable energy generation. With support from the Christmas Valley Chamber of Commerce, the state-run Oregon Solutions project earmarked the site for development in 2010.   Obsidian Renewables developed the project, but it is owned and operated by Constellation. In return, PGE purchases and receives all of the electricity generated by the solar panels at a fixed rate from Constellation under a 25-year solar power purchase agreement (PPA).   The project was supported in part through a grant from the Energy Trust of Oregon and a business energy tax credit from the Oregon Department of Energy. Through its PPA with Constellation, PGE did not have to commit upfront capital to build the project and retains the environmental attributes of the project to meet the state of Oregon's renewable portfolio standard requirements.   The solar power system comprises more than 20,000 ground-mounted photovoltaic panels. The project is expected to generate approximately 10 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. Generating the same amount of electricity using nonrenewable sources would result in the release of an estimated 2,250 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, or the equivalent emissions from 379 passenger vehicles, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data.   The Outback Solar project is one of three developed in Lake County in 2012 by Obsidian Renewables.

Please support the advertisers that bring you the Energy Inderpendence Sol-utions:     News Rules for Small Renewable Energy Projects in Idaho   New rules governing small renewable energy projects in Idaho will likely make it tougher for wind and solar developers to succeed but will be helpful for new dairy digesters and small, canal-based hydroelectric projects. The Idaho Public Utilities Commission's 69-page decision establishes new ground rules for renewable power projects and regulated utilities under the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act, or PURPA, a 34-year-old federal law meant to promote alternative resources.   Under the decision, solar and wind projects must generate less than 100 kilowatts, on average, to qualify for federally mandated contracts. That limit makes it more difficult for new projects to get off the ground but is a victory for utilities like Idaho Power Co. that complained they've been overloaded with unwanted wind power.   By contrast, the three-member panel stuck with 20-year power contracts -- utilities wanted just five-year pacts -- and awarded valuable environmental credits to small developers, over utilities' insistence they were the rightful owners. This will help developers including those seeking to produce power from dairy manure by making it easier for them to win financing.   PUC Chairman Paul Kjellander and commissioners Marsha Smith and Mack Redford said their ruling's rationale was two-fold: to continue Idaho's support of renewable energy, while shielding utility ratepayers from undue price hikes.   For instance, they said the reason they preserved the 100-kilowatt limit for PURPA-eligible wind and solar projects was to prevent developers from breaking large projects up into smaller ones. That's something Idaho Power has said was done prior to 2010, to qualify for attractive, federally mandated prices while driving up ratepayers' bills. www.puc.idaho.gov/internet/press/121712_GNRwindcasefinal.pdf Bracing for Climate Change: Article and Study Course for Builders   In the last century the sea level has risen about 10 inches on the New York waterfront. If projections about the impact of melting land-based Arctic ice are correct, sea levels could rise over 36 inches by 2080. As signs of a warming planet become more evident, architects and engineers are exploring ways to create more resilient buildings and infrastructure.   "Bracing for Climate Change," by Michael Cockram, was published in the January/February 2013 issue of GreenSource; it is also a Continuing Education opportunity for a more in-depth study of the topic. It shows some very interesting approaches to living with climate change as it differently impacts geographic regions and smaller areas within regions. Among other things, it is suggested that the energy performance of buildings must be raised to much higher levels. The article draws attention to a study focused on climate change and the built environment.   The course was approved by the GBCI for 1 GBCI CE hour(s) for LEED Credential Maintenance. http://continuingeducation.construction.com/article.php?L=5&C=1071

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